2 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Interesting that CNN's online poll (probably mostly americans answering) has settled out at 68% of peoplle saying freedom of expression is more important. But that 32% saying Religious Respect is more important confirms my worst fears... at a basic level the US religious right have the same intellectual DNA as exremistist Islam. How about the rest of us just send off all the extremist Christians to face off with their opposite numbers from Islam in one grand final 'Death Match Crusade' somewhere remote, leaving the rest of the world to get on with life without all their bollocks.

As likely part of the minority on this one, I'd like to take the defensive position in regards to the dignity of religion.

Not sure the language of the question on CNN, and while I agree that all rational thinking Americans, religious right and otherwise, hopefully can agree that violence is hardly an acceptable means to achieve one's ends, I don't know why respect and tolerance for religious beliefs are able to be trampled on with complete disregard to the sacred nature of those beliefs.

Take the other modern incendiary issue of racism...that wouldn't get nearly the "free press" pass that religion bashing gets. Admitting that all rational individuals can agree that racism is wrong while those same rational people can ill agree on religious truth, it just seems antithetical to the nature of mutual respect and dignity to slander religion, especially given its deeply rooted conviction.

Certainly not defending anyone's decision to go sling blade just because they make a comment about someone's religion or someone's mama, it just feels that certain things should be left alone, at least until the George Bush theocratic plans are made public.